The Roman Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is the fourth largest of Louisiana’s seven Roman Catholic dioceses. It includes the parishes of Terrebonne and Lafourche, the eastern part of St. Mary Parish, and Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish. The Diocese consists of part of Cajun, Louisiana. Like many other dioceses throughout Louisiana, the US, and the world, allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members have come to light in recent years within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.
In 2019, the Diocese named priests who were either convicted of sexually abusing children, had admitted to sexually using children, or were credibly accused of child sexual abuse in civil lawsuits. The named priests included the following: Lawrence Cavell, Alexander Francisco, Dale Guidry, Patrick Kujawa, Robert Melancon, Carlos Melendez, Etienne LeBlanc, Gerald Prinz, Bernard Schmaltz, Claude Boudreaux, Gerard Kinane, Ramon Luce, Dac Nguyen, and Daniel Poche. The Diocese was the second diocese in Louisiana to release the names of priests accused of harming children.
Two of the named priests, Alexander Francisco and Carlos Melendez, admitted they had inappropriate contact with a minor. The institution placed Francisco on leave in 2002 for improper touching of a teenager. The teenager’s parents reported the abuse and requested that the Diocese make Francisco undergo treatment. The Church ordered Francisco to undergo treatment and then cleared him to return to work without reporting the incident to authorities.
A court convicted Priest Robert Melancon of child rape. Dale Guidry and Lawrence Cavell solicited children to have sex with them. A court convicted Patrick Kujawa of possessing child pornography but suspended his sentence. He was later caught again with child porn, and he pleaded guilty and spent eight years in prison. He’s currently serving a sentence for his first conviction, with his release scheduled in 2022.
Etienne LeBlanc, Gerald Prinz, and Bernard Schmaltz faced civil lawsuits for allegations of sexual abuse that the Diocese deemed credible. In the case against LeBlanc filed in 2007, a former altar boy claimed LeBlanc raped him numerous times over several years. The church settled the lawsuit in 2012 and defrocked LeBlanc, but he never faced criminal charges.
An anonymous plaintiff brought a lawsuit against Prinz in 1995, accusing him of raping him in the 1970s while Prinz held assignments at St. Gregory Parish in Houma and St. Louis Parish Bayou Blue. The lawsuit involving Prinz was unique because the victim’s evidence stemmed from a “recovered memory” of the abuse—meaning he claimed he blocked out his memories of the abuse for years until he recovered the memories in 1994. Prinz denied the allegations, but The Diocese subsequently defrocked him.
In the lawsuit against Schmaltz brought in 1992, the victim accused Schmaltz of molesting him at St. Clement of Rome during a fishing trip when the boy was in eighth grade. The abuse occurred during the 1973-1974 school year, and the court held that the victim waited too long to bring the suit. Schmaltz claimed he was innocent, but he resigned from his position and left the priesthood.
These cases made the news, and the Diocese now knows the perpetrators of Houma-Thibodaux, but there are likely many more abusers that exist and remain unnamed. Unfortunately, many victims of child sexual abuse never come forward or don’t reveal their experience until later in life. For this reason, many state legislatures are changing the laws concerning child sex abuse statute of limitations for when a victim can file a civil claim for damages. Louisiana specifically is currently allowing a three-year look-back window commencing on August 1, 2021, to enable previously barred child sex abuse victims to file for compensation and seek civil justice no matter their age or how long ago the abuse happened.
Child sexual abuse is a horrifying crime occurring worldwide. However, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and other dioceses should be safe harbors for you and your loved ones. The mental and emotional effects of childhood sexual abuse can last a lifetime. You deserve to seek justice against your abuser and the institution that allowed the abuse to happen.
If you or someone you love suffered from child sex abuse at the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, contact Herman Law today for a free consultation. We want to inform you of your legal rights and help you take action before losing your chance to receive compensation for your continued healing.
The following priests admitted, were convicted, or pled guilty:
- Lawrence Cavell
- Alexander Francisco
- Dale Guidry
- Patrick Kujawa
- Robert Melancon
- Carlos Melendez
The following priests are the subject of credible allegations of sexual molestation of a minor that were the subject of civil litigation:
- Etienne LeBlanc
- Gerald Prinz
- Bernard Schmaltz
The following priests are the subject of credible allegations of serious and unacceptable conduct with minors, ranging from inappropriate physical contact of a minor to molestation of a minor:
- Claude Boudreaux
- Gerard Kinane
- Ramon Luce
- Dac Nguyen
- Daniel Pochea
We have received notification concerning the following priests who served in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux without any credible allegation, but who have been reported to have had a credible allegation while serving outside the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux:
- John Joseph Finke